Powerful photos from the scene of a triple murder in Rancho Cordova, Calif., in which a mother and two of her children were brutally slain, capture a sheriff's deputy cradling a 6-month-old survivor.

A police spokesman told the Associated Press that the children's father found the horrific scene Tuesday afternoon. His wife -- described by officials as in her 20s -- and two children, a 3-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy, were found dead in a room of their home in the Sacramento suburb. The surviving child, a 6-month-old boy, was later found crying but unharmed in another room.

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Police would not give details of the murders other than to say the victims had suffered "extreme trauma" and that scene was "horrific," according to Fox40 Sacramento.

"This is somebody who confronted a family inside their homes and took their lives very violently. It's shocking, even to veteran law enforcement," Sacramento Sheriff Deputy Jason Ramos said.

The family's minivan was reported missing from the crime scene yesterday. KCRA reports that it was found early Wednesday morning at a Denny's in Rocklin, Calif., about 30 minutes from Sacramento. Police detained the man believed to be the driver of the van for questioning.

Although the victims' names have not publicly been released, records indicate that Denis and Alina Bukhantsov live at the address.

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10 Major Crimes That Shocked America (SLIDESHOW)

10 Major Crimes That Shocked America (SLIDESHOW)

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"Young L.A. Girl Slain; Body Slashed in Two" -L.A.'s Daily News

On January 15, 1947, the remains of Elizabeth Short, were found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. What made this discovery the stuff of tabloid sensation, however, was the Glasgow smile left on the aspiring actress' face--made with 3-inch slashes on each side. This, coupled with Short's dark hair, fair complexion and reputation for sporting a dahlia in her hair, dubbed her "The Black Dahlia" in headlines.
What followed was a media circus filled with rumors and speculation about the promiscuous 22-year-old's checkered past. What haunts theorists to this day, apart from the victim's uniquely nightmarish visage, is that the case remains unsolved after some 200 suspects were interviewed and ultimately released--making it one of Hollywood's most lurid legends.